The Lake-Dwellings of Europe: Being the Rhind Lectures in Archæology for 1888Munro, Robert
History
The Lake-Dwellings of Europe: Being the Rhind Lectures in Archæology for 1888
Munro, Robert
Lake-dwellers and lake-dwellings -- Bibliography; Lake-dwellers and lake-dwellings -- Europe
_Bracelets._--In striking contrast to the fibulæ, bracelets are very
rare. Dr. Gross figures one of bronze wire; another of an iron rod,
with the inside flattened; and a third of iron plate, riveted, forming
a hollow tube, reminding one of the ornamental hollow rings of the
Bronze Age. (B. 446, Pl x. 17, 18, and 27.) Of the two here figured
(Nos. 34 and 35), one is a spiral rod, and the other a flat band, both
of iron. Fragments of glass bracelets, in the form of a flat band,
having the outside ornamented with wavy corrugations, have also been
found. (B. 126, p. 294.)
_Neck-Rings._--Several portions of massive neck rings, precisely
similar to those represented on ancient statuary as peculiar to
distinguished Gallic warriors, as, for example, that on the neck of
the "Dying Gladiator" in Rome, have been found at La Tène. They appear
to have been made of two symmetrical portions, which, when worn, were
united at the back of the neck, and then formed a large penannular
ring, with an expanded bulb at each end (Nos. 16 and 17). They were
sometimes plain rings, but generally they were more or less worked
into some artistic pattern. That represented on the dying gladiator is
distinctly seen to be twisted spirally immediately above the terminal
bulbs. Of the two here represented, one (No. 16) is of gold, and
weighs 72·90 grammes, and the other of bronze (No. 17).
4. HORSE-TRAPPINGS, WAGGONS, ETC.--Among the objects under this
class we have not only bridle-bits (=Fig. 89=, Nos. 14 to 18),
spurs (No. 6), various discs and other objects of bronze, supposed
to have been ornaments on horse-harness (Nos. 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, and
21), but the actual remains of waggons, as wheels (No. 12), part of
the wooden pole, linch-pins (No. 19), and other attachments. The
wheel here figured shows a nave with 10 spokes and fellies, which
are bound together by an iron hoop, precisely similar to the wheels
now in use. "La roue entière," writes its discoverer, "a un mètre de
diamètre; trouvée en compagnie d'épées gauloises, elle avait sur le
moyeu un umbo de bouclier. Le cercle de fer qui l'entoure, d'environ
un centimètre d'épaisseur, a 5 centimètres de largeur, le moyeu a
60 centimètres de longueur, il est formé de deux pièces, reliées de
chaque côté par un ou deux petits cercles. Les rais sont en chêne au
nombre de dix et la jante est, ou plutôt était, d'une seule pièce
courbée et paraît de frêne; elle avait été raccommodée et la pièce
est assujettie au moyen d'un clou et d'une embrasse de fer.
"Elle était encore entière, mais, en la transportant, quelques
rais tombèrent et comme je ne pus pas la mettre immédiatement et
entièrement dans l'eau, la jante se retira en peu de jours, laissant
un espace entre le bois et le fer, de sorte que, quand je voulus
mettre la roue entière dans son bassin de zinc, elle se sépara en
plusieurs morceaux.
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